Mastering Linux

✍ Scribed by Arman Danesh, Michael Jang

• Publisher: Sybex
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 993
• Edition: 2
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

I actually still look stuff up in Mastering Linux occasionally, so from that point of view, it was worth it. I also used the CDs and stuff that came with it as the basis of a machine setup at one time, with some help from the book, so even though a bit pricey at the time, it did its job. You aren't likely to need this level of help now though.

✦ Table of Contents

Contents......Page 16
Introduction......Page 33
PART I: Welcome to Linux......Page 38
1 What Is Linux?......Page 40
Linux History......Page 41
Linux as an Operating System......Page 42
Linux as Free Software......Page 46
Looking Ahead......Page 47
2 Choosing a Distribution......Page 50
What Is a Distribution?......Page 51
An Overview of Major Distributions......Page 52
Red Hat Linux......Page 57
Looking Ahead......Page 60
PART II: Installing Linux......Page 62
3 Getting Ready to Install Linux......Page 64
What You Need......Page 65
Checking Your Hardware for Compatibility......Page 69
Recording Your Hardware Information......Page 70
Choosing an Installation Method......Page 74
Arranging Your Hard Disk......Page 76
Looking Ahead......Page 79
4 Installing Linux......Page 82
Starting the Installation......Page 83
Configuring Your System for Installation......Page 85
Looking Ahead......Page 103
5 Special Installations......Page 106
Installing from a Hard Disk Partition......Page 107
Installing Linux on Multiple Partitions......Page 109
Using Fdisk instead of Disk Druid......Page 112
Looking Ahead......Page 116
PART III: Using Desktop Environments in Linux......Page 118
6 An Overview of X Windows......Page 120
What Is X Windows?......Page 121
Microsoft Windows versus X Windows......Page 124
X Servers, Window Managers, and Desktop Environments......Page 127
What Is Motif?......Page 142
Looking Ahead......Page 144
7 Installing and Configuring X Windows......Page 146
Obtaining X Windows......Page 147
Preparing to Configure X Windows......Page 153
Configuring XFree86 with Xconfigurator......Page 155
Configuring XFree86 with Xf86config......Page 163
Testing Your Configuration......Page 169
Looking Ahead......Page 171
8 Using GNOME and X Windows......Page 174
Starting X Windows and GNOME......Page 175
The GNOME Panel......Page 177
The GNOME Interface......Page 186
Managing Files with GNOME......Page 189
Looking Ahead......Page 196
9 Using Applications with GNOME and X Windows......Page 198
Using Xterm......Page 199
Customizing Xterm......Page 201
X Windows Applications......Page 212
X Windows Utilities......Page 222
Looking Ahead......Page 228
10 Advanced GNOME Configuration......Page 230
Using the GNOME Control Center......Page 231
Configuring GNOME Panels......Page 247
Looking Ahead......Page 251
11 Using KDE......Page 254
A History of the KDE Project......Page 255
KDE and Red Hat Linux 7......Page 257
Exploring the KDE Desktop......Page 267
Browsing the File System......Page 271
Configuring KDE......Page 278
Using the KDE Utilities......Page 289
Looking Ahead......Page 293
12 Advanced X Windows Configuration......Page 296
The XF86Config File......Page 297
The X Windows Start-Up Sequence......Page 315
X Resources......Page 322
Looking Ahead......Page 324
PART IV: Mastering the Essentials......Page 326
13 Introducing Linux Commands......Page 328
What Is a Linux Command?......Page 329
Common Linux Commands......Page 330
Looking Ahead......Page 350
14 Working with Files......Page 352
Copying and Deleting Files......Page 353
Moving and Renaming Files......Page 363
Creating Files......Page 364
Creating Symbolic Links......Page 366
Looking Ahead......Page 367
15 Using LinuxConf and other Tools for System Configuration......Page 370
Configuring Printers......Page 371
Launching LinuxConf......Page 381
Adding Modules......Page 383
Managing Users and Groups......Page 384
Configuring a Modem......Page 393
Setting the Time and Date......Page 394
Looking Ahead......Page 396
16 Understanding the Shell......Page 398
Comparing Shells......Page 399
Overview of the Bash Shell......Page 402
Looking Ahead......Page 418
17 General System Administration......Page 420
Managing Users......Page 421
Managing Groups......Page 426
System Start-Up......Page 428
Scheduling Jobs with crond......Page 434
Managing Logs......Page 439
Looking Ahead......Page 444
18 Using Peripherals......Page 446
Linux and Plug and Play......Page 447
Printers......Page 449
Modems......Page 462
USB Mice/Keyboards......Page 475
Looking Ahead......Page 478
19 Linux Multimedia......Page 480
Configuring Sound Cards......Page 481
Using XPlaycd......Page 485
Other Multimedia Applications......Page 487
Looking Ahead......Page 489
20 Recompiling the Linux Kernel......Page 492
Why Change the Kernel?......Page 493
Checking for Source Packages......Page 498
Backing Up the Old Kernel......Page 499
Getting a New Kernel......Page 501
Configuring the New Kernel......Page 502
Compiling and Running the New Kernel......Page 514
Looking Ahead......Page 516
PART V: Basic Connectivity......Page 518
21 Understanding Linux Networking......Page 520
TCP/IP Fundamentals......Page 521
TCP/IP Ports......Page 527
Routing Concepts......Page 528
Looking Ahead......Page 530
22 Connecting Linux to the Internet......Page 532
Graphical PPP Connections......Page 533
Required Hardware and Software......Page 534
Manual PPP Connections......Page 543
Automating Manual Internet Connections......Page 550
Looking Ahead......Page 552
23 Using the World Wide Web......Page 554
An Overview of Linux Browsers......Page 555
Installing and Using Netscape......Page 560
Configuring Netscape Mail......Page 571
Installing and Using Lynx......Page 580
Looking Ahead......Page 584
24 Reading E-Mail......Page 586
Offline Mail Readers......Page 587
Online Mail Programs......Page 596
25 Faxing from Linux......Page 608
Linux Fax Software......Page 609
Efax for Linux......Page 610
Looking Ahead......Page 622
PART VI: Using Linux in the Small Office/Home Office (SOHO)......Page 624
26 Where to Use Linux in the SOHO......Page 626
Linux As a File Server......Page 627
Linux As a Database Server......Page 629
Linux As an Intranet Server......Page 630
Linux As an Applications Server......Page 631
Linux As a Router......Page 632
Looking Ahead......Page 635
27 Installing Linux for the SOHO......Page 638
Choosing Packages for a LAN Installation......Page 639
Configuring Network Support During Installation......Page 640
Installing from a Network Source......Page 644
Looking Ahead......Page 649
28 Configuring Linux for an Ethernet Network......Page 652
Preparing and Configuring the Network......Page 653
Testing the Network......Page 665
Manual Network Configuration......Page 668
Sharing Files on a Linux/Unix Network......Page 672
Basic Network Security......Page 676
Looking Ahead......Page 678
29 Integrating Linux in Windows and Novell Networks......Page 680
Sharing Linux Files and Printers with Windows Networks......Page 681
Accessing Windows Network Files and Printers from Linux Systems......Page 690
Looking Ahead......Page 697
30 Linux and DOS/Windows......Page 700
Running DOS Applications in Linux......Page 701
VMware......Page 712
Why Not Wine?......Page 717
Looking Ahead......Page 719
31 Security and Linux As an Inexpensive Router......Page 722
Basic Security Issues......Page 723
Creating a Linux-Based Router......Page 727
Looking Ahead......Page 738
Part VII: Using Linux As a Web and E-Mail Server......Page 740
32 Building Your Own Web Server......Page 742
What Is a Web Server?......Page 743
Linux Web Servers......Page 746
Installing Apache......Page 753
Configuring Apache......Page 756
Managing Your Web Server......Page 792
Building a Web Site......Page 799
Looking Ahead......Page 822
33 Linux As a Mail Server: The Power of Sendmail......Page 824
The Concept of a Mail Transport Agent......Page 825
Sendmail as the Foremost MTA......Page 826
Configuring Sendmail with M4......Page 827
Looking Ahead......Page 831
A: Linux around the World (Non-English Linux Distributions)......Page 834
Linux in French......Page 835
Linux in German......Page 836
Linux in Portuguese......Page 837
Linux in Russian......Page 838
Linux in Spanish......Page 839
Linux in Multiple Languages......Page 840
B: Sources of Linux Information......Page 846
General Information......Page 847
Linux Distributions......Page 848
Mailing Lists and Newsgroups......Page 849
Places to Purchase Linux CD-ROMs......Page 851
X Windows......Page 852
C: Linux Command Reference......Page 854
Commands Covered in This Appendix......Page 855
D: GNU General Public License......Page 930
Preamble......Page 931
Terms and Conditions for Copying, Distribution, and Modification......Page 932
Appendix: How to Apply These Terms to Your New Programs......Page 937
E: Linux on Non-Intel Hardware......Page 940
Embedded Linux......Page 941
Linux for Motorola 680x0 Processors......Page 942
Linux for the Power Macintosh......Page 943
Linux for SPARC Processors......Page 944
A......Page 945
B......Page 947
C......Page 948
D......Page 952
E......Page 955
F......Page 958
G......Page 961
H......Page 963
I......Page 964
K......Page 966
L......Page 968
M......Page 970
N......Page 973
P......Page 975
Q......Page 978
R......Page 979
S......Page 981
T......Page 985
U......Page 986
W......Page 988
X......Page 991
Z......Page 992